Public Administration

About the Texas Tech MPA Program

General Program Information

The MPA program at Texas Tech is accredited by the The Network of Schools of Public
Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA). The MPA program is a combination of
classroom learning and practical application. Classes are offered at night and meet
one night per week to allow for employees currently working in the field to attend
as well as pre-service students to work during the day. A typical full-time MPA student
will have 3 classes that will meet on a weeknight for 3 hours each (a total of 9 hours).
Students are discouraged from taking more than 3 courses per semester, but the total
time to graduation can potentially be fast-tracked by enrolling in summer classes.
In addition, the required internship experience is usually taken between the first
and second year of matriculation.

The Texas Tech MPA program has over 60 enrolled students. Most classes are capped
at 15 students, with some courses having as few as 5 students. We have approximately
40 percent part-time students. In addition we have a diverse student body with approximately
40 percent minority students. This diversity enhances the learning experience as diverse
students and full- and part-time students can exchange ideas and gain increased perspectives.

The MPA program is designed for full-time students to graduate in two years. We graduate
over 70 percent of our full-time students within two years and over 90 percent of
our full-time students in 3 years. For part-time students, over 70 percent graduate
within 3 years.

The exact cost of the MPA degree will vary with each student according to how many
semesters the student needs to finish the program and how many hours are taken in
each semester. A typical student in the program will complete two years while s/he
takes one summer semester for an elective and/or internship classes. These semesters
are 9 hours each for a total of 36 hours. While Texas Tech University fees and tuition
costs are subject to change, a typical Texas resident completing the program in 2017
spent approximately $21,494, while non-residents spent $30,187. We have a number of
scholarships and assistantships that allows us to provide financial support. Over
70 percent of our full-time students receive work or financial support from the university.

Our graduates do well in their career fields. We have an active alumni network, and
our graduates have executive positions in city and state governments, health care
institutions, and nonprofit organizations. From our surveys of graduates, we find
that about 90 percent have found positions within 6 months of graduating or are continuing
their education. Most graduates have job offers before they graduate. About 85 percent
of our graduates are placed in the pubic and non-profit sectors, including federal,
state and local governments and diverse nonprofit and healthcare organizations, and
about 15 percent find jobs in the private sector, such as private consulting, financial
and health organizations.

*Please see the Program Statistics page to find more specific information on the program completion rate and job placements.